Hospitalization and posture bed



Jan. 19, 1943." c.l DRVEXLE-RJET A1. 2,308,592

HOSPITALIZATION AND POSTURE BED INVENTORS.

Jan. 19, 1943. c. DREXLER ETAL HOSPITALlZATION AND PSTURE BED '2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1940 Patented Jan. 19, 1943 H SPITALIZATION AND 'POSTURE BED Charles Drexler and Ralph H. Morgan, Indianapolis, Ind., assignors to Robert R. Freund,

Mount Carmel, Ill.

\ Application March 13, 1940, Serial No. 323,677

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a posture bed.

This application is a continuation-impart of the copending application, Hospitalization Bed, Serial No. 152,718, led July 9, 1937, now matured into Patent No. 2,261,980 issued Nov. 11, 1941, and relates more particularly to the subject matter of original claims and 17, thereof, and the disclosure therein is made a part hereof.

The speciiic control per se including manual and power operable means thereof as well as that more or lessdiagrammatically illustrated herein, is the subject of a copending divisionall and continuation-in-pa-rt, copending application, entitled, Power and control for articulated beds, filed March 13, 1940, and bearing Serial No. 323,676, and relates to original claims 6 to 12 and 18 to 21 of application Serial No. 152,718.

The present invention also is a continuationin-part application relative to the articulated bed,

bed pan support and a plug combination now claimed in copending application Serial No. 152,- 718.

The present invention also is an improvement upon the articulated bed structure embodying basically the articulated bed, bed pan support and plug combination and manual and electric power and controls therefor initially disclosed in the Robert R. Freund, Posture bed structure, application Serial No. 151,272, filed December 11, 1936, and the instant application is copending with the substituted application similarly `entitled and led March 29, 1939, and bearing Serial No. 264,766 for said Freund application.

In view of the copending application Serial No. 323,676, filed March 13, 1940, describing and claiming the power and control means of the bed herein disclosed, the instant application is direct-,- ed more particularly to the improvements in the articulated bed, bed pan support and plug com bination over that disclosed in the aforesaid duplicate Freund applications.

Since the introductory portions or" applications, Serial No. 151,272, No. 264,766 and No. 152,718 set forth quite fully the objects and features of the invention basically common to the instant disclosure said objects may be briefly outlined as follows:

The chief object is to provide a bed of articulated character, whereby the same mayr have its several parts moved into various positions necessitated by the patients particular condition.

Another object of the invention disclosed herein is to provide a mutually coacting combination bed pan and mattress plug arrangement, where- Mgci. s-es) by either may be associated with an aperture in the bed spring and mattress for the specific purpose desired.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the inventions basically disclosed in theV aforesaid Freund and Drexler-Morgan applications.

The chief feature of the invention consists in embodying in a bed structure of articulated character the several mechanisms hereinafter more fully set forth, whereby the bed sections and portions associated therewith may be adjusted, maintained, operated and/or utilized, as necessity or convenience may require.

The advantages of an articulated bed structure 'g embodying the basic characteristics of the present invention and those of the copending applications referred to are common and well known and require no repetition.

Objects and features other than the foregoing and specific to the instant disclosure will be pointed out more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be under-v stood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of a bed structure embodying the invention, the back section of the bed frame being shown elevated and the movable foot and knee sections and the stationary section being omitted since in this view the same are concealed by the back secin the plane of line 2-,2 on Fig. 1 and in the direction of the arrows, the foot and knee sections of the bed being illustrated in lowered and hori-V zontal positions, respectively.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2 but with the back or head section of the bed in horizontal position and the foot and knee sections reverselypositioned in tilted positions although generally horizontally directed, this being the knee strainremoving position, the heavy broken horizontal line to the left indicating the position of the foot section when elevated to substantially horizontal position when the circulation of the patient requires that the legs be elevated relative to the head and torso.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the bed pan support and plug mechanism corresponding to the Fig. 4 and in the direction of the arrows when the plug support is below the section line '1 -1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are representative of the relative positions of the bed pan and plug support members in the respective channels guiding same.

In the drawings-see Fig. l-lil indicates one frame member and l I the opposite member. Each is approximately rectangular in outline, see Fig. 2J and at each lower corner terminates in a socket I2 with which is associated a thumbscrew I3 or the like for clampingv in adjusted position,4 the pintle portion of an arm I4 that extends angularly thereof and terminates at its lower free end in a socket I5 detachably or otherwise suitably mounting a swivelling caster I5.

Two upper tie rods Il and a median lower rod I8 secure these frame members together in spaced relation and constitute the pedestal and base Y formation. Swiveliing the arms I4 so same underlie or are within this frame outline positions these elements so that the bed may readily be moved through doorways, et cetera, and Without dismantling when the articulated sections are positioned substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The articulated bed frame includes a head or back U-shaped portion or section I9 pivotally mounted within the frame and near the upper right hand end thereof as at 25, see Fig. 2. Also pivotally mounted within the frame and closer to the other or forward end than the last mentioned or rearward end and as at 2i are the connected portions 22. portions 23 which constitute the intermediate stationary or seat section, connected portions 22 constituting the knee section.

A rcversely positioned U-shaped member 24 has its arm free ends similarly pivotaliy mounted as at 25 on the knee section. These pivots are movable being at the free end of knee section 22. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the back or head section I9 may be positioned upright or horizontally, or in any intermediate position as desired. Similarly, knee section 22 may be tilted upwardly from stationary section Z3, be in alignment therewith or be slightly tilted downwardly therefrom or be positioned in any intermediate position, as desired.

Also foot section may be dropped as illustrated in Fig. 2 or tilted downwardly from above the horizontal plane of the bed proper as illustrated in Fig. 3 or may be horizontally pcsitione at that elevation, see the heavy broken line in Fig. 3, or may be horizontally aligned with all sections in what is considered the normal bed plane.

Each section includes flexible metal straps 25 connected at opposite ends by helicals 2 to the adjacent frame portion except that the stationary section also includes a central opening not shown herein.

The articulated bed structure supports an articulated mattress, the articulations occurring therein adjacent and registering with pivots 2l) and 25. It may also be articulated adjacent pivots 2l, if desired. It includes an opening there- The frame has intermediate through (not shown) registering with the stationary seat section central opening described but not shown. A mattress plug 28-see Figs. 4 and 5-is arranged to close this opening. The illustration of the aforesaid mattress is intentionally omitted from the drawings for clearness.

AReference now will be had more especially to the right hand portion of Fig. l and the central portion of Fig. 2. Therein, member lI is shown supporting a housing 29 having cover 29a upon which is mounted the manual selector device 30. Through the lower cover portion 29h extends shaft 3I which mounts hand crank This is the common manual power.

A reversible motor 33 is suitably supported by member II and within the frame structure. Thereabove in aligned relation, see Figs. 1 and 1A, are the bearings 3:3, 35, 3B and 3'! extending inwardly from member I and projecting therefrom are the shafts 38, 39, 45 and 4I, respectively. These shafts-see Figs. 1, 2 and 3.-.are substantially in vertical `alignment and accordingly, in superposed relation.

Shaft 38 is the plug and bed pan support actuator shaft. Shaft 39 is the combination back and knee section actuating shaft. Shaft 48 is the foot section actuating shaft and shaft 4I is the independent knee actuating shaft.

The connections, between these shafts and the motor or crank, and the manually remote `or manually direct operable controls associated therewith, the interlocking safety controls associated therewith, the interlocking safety devices, overrunning limit switches, clutches, controls therefor, etc., are intentionally omitted` from `the drawings and description of .this invention, since the same are fully illustrated described and claimed in the second section of the copending application, entitled, Power and control for articulated beds, hereinbefore mentioned and to which reference is here made for a complete understanding of the present invention.

The back section I9 adjacent its pivotal support 20 includes at opposite sides lateral extensions 42 which are connected by portion 43, see Figs. 2 and 3. Portion 43V is relieved at 44, see Fig. 1, to facilitate pan removal when the back section I9 is horizontal and for pan support and plug clearance.

Adjacent member II is integral with the junction of portions 42 and 43, is an angular arm 45, the angularity therein occurring at 46 to clear the adjacent tie rod I'I, see Fig. 2.

The lower end of the singular arm 45 is pivotally connected at 41 to a link 48 in turn pivotally connected at 49 to the power arm 50 rigid with the second lowest shaftvsee Fig. 2. Each of the two back section connected arm portions 42 mounts a roller 5I that rides in an elongated slot 52 in a lever arm 53 pivotally mounted upon the exposed portion of uppermost shaft 4I at one side of the frame and upon a suitable pivot in axial alignment therewith on the opposite side of the frame. Each lever arm 53 at its forward end rotatably supports a shaft 6I which in effect is a floating pivot because shaft 6I is independent of the frame. Both levers 53 are thus connected at their forward ends by shaft 6I and at. their rearward ends by arms 42 and the back and head section.

The slot 52 for the major portion of its length is arcuate and substantially` concentric with the axis of pivot 2l), the hinge axis of the back section. At the forward end of each slot 52 is an offset portion 52a which has a cam effect. When the 'back section' is initiauy tilted from the horizontal position upwardly or finally lowered to horizontal position, these offset portions 52a of slots 52, through arms 42 and rollers 5I tilt lever. arms 53 clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, see Fig. 2, which means that shaft 6l is shifted substantially vertically accordingly; hence, shaft 6I is a floating pivot for the two arms 59. These arms, see Fig. l--A are positioned within arms 53 but may be positioned between the arms and the adjacent frame members which constitute frame member connecting means.

A substantially rectangular frame 8| at each side substantially parallel to the frame members I and II isprovided with a depending portion 82. The rectangular member 8l is provided with in which event they would be on the ends of shaft 5I instead of arms 53, as shown.

Each arm 59 terminates in a yroller 53 which rides in an elongated slot 51 in a depending flange 55 at the longitudinal side of the knee section 22. Accordingly, as the back section is initially raised, the knee section 22 automatically will be raised therewith to the eXtent obtained by the shifting of pivot shaft 6I through arms 42 and rollers 5I While associated with portions 52a of slots 52 in the levers 53. Further back section elevation has no corresponding knee section movement. Conversely, when the back section is finally lowered to horizontal position, the knee section, if tiltably elevated the proper amount automatically will be lowered to horizontal position by the lowering of pivot shaft 6 I.

Also rigid with shaft 5I for rotation therewith is the arm 6B adjacent member Il and pivotally connected at 55 to link 52 pivoted in turn at 53 to arm 64 rigid with the uppermost shaft 4I. By reason of the pin (roller) and slot 51-58 connections in flanges 55 the knee section can be raised and lowered independently of back movement or simultaneously therewith (under electric motor power only) or by back movement only as previously set forth.

Along the underface of each side or arm portion of the U-shaped foot section 24 is a guide or track 56. Adjacent each is a roller 51 carried by the free end of lever 5S pivoted at 69 upon the adjacent frame member. The numeral 69 indicates a shaft that is rotatably supported in confronting aligned bearings in frame members I0 and II. Not only are levers 63 rigid with said shaft 59 but also lever 10 is rigid therewith, which lever is pivotally connected at Il to a link 12 in turn pivotally connected at 13 to lever arm 14 carried by power shaft 4B. Rods 15 and 15a constitute tie rods between side arms 24 and levers 68, respectively.

Reference now will be had to all of the figures of the drawings since therein is disclosed the bed pan support and the plug mechanism and the inter-action or correlated movement therebetween and the power for operating the same. As previously set forth, Fig. 1 shows the bed pan support in the lowered position, thus corresponding to the position of the structure, as illustrated in Fig. 4, whereas the reverse arrangement or positioning is illustrated in Fig. 5.

By referring to Figs. l, 4 and 5, it will be observed that the lower central bar I8 which eX- tends from one frame member` I!! to the opposite frame member I I has pinned thereto or otherwise suitably secured thereto, U-shaped or slotted guide members 15, the slots therein rbeing upwardly directed and indicated by the numeral 11. A pin 'I8 including a roller rides in said slot and to it is connected a pair of elongated springs 'I9 which are upwardly and outwardly directed, that is, fore and aft, and have their upper ends anchored as at 8l) to the two transverse rods I1 a central opening 83 therein and this frame member 8l is yieldingly connected, as previously described, to the stationary section of the bed structure through the mattress supporting means. In order that this structure shall not constitute an objectionable abutment for a patient of considerable weight, the aforesaid frame structure 8 I-82 is floatingly supported, as it were, because the two depending parallel portions 82 mount at their lower ends the outwardly directed pins 'I8 that ride in the adjacent Slots 11 of the upright guide members 1B. As the weight comes on the frame BI, the four springs which are arranged in pairs, each pair being arranged in V-shaped relation, elongate and thus cushion or compensate for the excessive weight of the patient. This auxiliary frame, therefore, is oatingly associated with the main frame structure in the manner described.

The plug and bed pan support mechanism and operating means therefor is al1 carried by or associated with this floating auxiliary frame, previously described. The depending members 82 near the lower end are provided'with `aligned bearings 84, the right hand onesee Fig. 1- having an opening entirely therethrough so as to receive and rotatably sup-port the shaft 85, the free end 85 of which extends beyond the right hand frame member 82. A universal couf pling 81 is connected to shaft 85 at 88 and at 89 is connected to the outer end of the shaft 38. This is the power supply to the mechanism.

A pair of walking beams Si) is counted in spaced relation upon said shaft and suitably secured thereto. The forward ends of the walking beams herein illustrated as the upper end in Fig. 1 and designated by the numeral 9i, are pivotally connected as at 92 to the ends of arms 93 pivotally connected as at 94 to a shaft bearing the same designation and which is rotatably supported in bearings connected by the side webs 95 of the plug support base 96 to which is suitably secured the mattress plug 28 previously referred to.

Rotatably and medianly supported on the shaft B5 is an angular housing 91 which has an elongated bore 98 extending therethrough and offset or non-intersectingly positioned with reference to the pivotal mounting of said housing. Slidingly supported therein is a guide rod 99 which mounts a stop collar Ill between the plug support 95 and the housing 91.

A pair of coil springs IGI is connected at one end to the shaft 94 and is connected at their opposite ends to anchorages |52 carried by the beams 59 adjacent the ends 5I thereof, but sufficiently spaced therefrom so as to secure the desired operation therefrom, the springs and arms 53 forming a triangle with the included portion of the walking beam therebetween, as shown in Fig. 5.

In alignment with shaft S4 or as extensions thereof at opposite ends and immediately adjacent the two depending portions 82 of the auxiliary frame and beyond the walking beams, are guide elements 53 which ride in the slots or grooves |54 which confront each other and are formed upon the inside adjacent faces of the depending. members 82. f

Ihe bed pan support includes an open work peripheral type bed pan conforming frameV |05 which at opposite sides is provided with three pairs of bosses |06, itil and |68, the same constituting supports for mechanism herein after described. A rod |09 is pivotally connected at one end to the bearing It and is telescopically associated with the cylinder H which in turn is pivotally mounted at l upon a fixed pivot on the depending frame member 82. The opposed bearing ISB on the same side of the pan support member |85 is carried by the web ||2 and pivotally connected at the bearing is a rod ||3 for telescopic connection with the cylinder ||4 in turn pivoted at H5 in a xed bearing on. the depending frame member 82, it being observed the bearing is positioned-to the left in Fig. 5-and above the center of the member 82, including the shaft 85 as distinguished from the bearing H5 which is positioned to the right in Fig. 5 and below and rearwardly of the aforesaid.

Intermediate the bearings ll and |68 is the bearing Uil previously mentioned and therein is mounted member H5 which at its outer ends mounts stop and vertical aligning members The vertical aligning members are adapted to first engage the wall forming portion of the groove H9 and then to seat in said groove. The common wail thus engaged forms adjacent sides of the adjacent aligning grooves or Ways |04 and H9.

Pivotally connected to the rod H6 and between the depending webs ||2 are links |2|. Stop collars |22 maintain these links in predetermined parallelism and spaced relation. The other ends of these links are pivotally connected as at 3 to the other ends |24 of the walking beams before mentioned. Ends |24 are bifurcated for such purpose and in that respect are similar to the bifurcated ends 9| at the opposite ends of the walking beams.

The foregoing in brief constitutes a description of the bed pan support and plug support mechanism and the operative mechanism necessary therefor.

When the parts are positioned as shown in Figs. 4 and l, the bed pan support is maintained normally horizontal and the piug is maintained normally horizontal, the latter being in aligned relation and in registration with the aperture 83 of the auxiliary frame structure including the frame arrangement 8|, the base 96 supporting the plug 28 then being in substantial horizontal alignment, as shown in Fig. 4, with the stationary section of the bed.

When the shaft 38-35 is rotated and to the limit of its movement, the parts move from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. In this position the plug is tilted and is now lowermost whereas the bed pan support is still horizontally positioned but is in elevated relation and is seated within the peripheral portion of the auxiliary frame 8| which as has been previously described, is of floating character.

Inasmuch as all the power mechanism and all the support mechanism for the plug and bed pan support are carried by and movable with the auxiliary or oating frame structure, no relative movement occurs therebetween by reason of the imposition or variation in any load. With the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted the plug is fully elevated, the walking beams are extended almost upright and slightly forwardly and the adjacent springs are fully extended and the guide rod is also fully extended relative to the intermediatehousing 91 carried by the shaft 85.

When the mechanism, that is, shaft 38-85 is reversely operated to lower the plug and elevate the bed pan support, the initial movements are as followszThe walking beams and links connecting the same to the plug support collapse towards each other, the central guide member extends into the housing 91 for telescopic movement and the plug 28 and its supporting platform drop Vertically from the opening in the mattress and the opening in the auxiliary frame. At the same time the bed pan moves upwardly and due to the two pairs of parallel rod and cylinder constructions, the same constituting a parallelogram construction, said bed pan support moves upwardly and non-interieringly until the plug has lowered to a position below the lower edge of the rim of the peripheral auxiliary frame. Continued operation then tilts the plug forwardly and downwardly and continues to move the bed pan support upwardly as well as forwardly until the bed pan is positioned a slight distance below the opening in the `auxiliary frame while the rearward upper edge of the plug is in approximately horizontal alignment with said pan support. At this position the two guide members previously described, engage the intermediate guide and way or groove forming portion and further forward movement of the bed pan is prevented.

It will be observed that at this point in the movement, the central guide member has very nearly fully telescoped into the tubular housing 91. Continued rotation of the power shaft through the walking beams and by reason of the guide constraint imposed, causes the bed pan structure movement to continue as elevation only, all the while the bed pan being maintained in the horizontal position until the walking beams are substantially vertical and in alignment with the links connected thereto and to the bed pan support. At this position-Fig. 5--with the bed pan support elevated, the bed pan lies below the upper plane of the mattress and also below the upper plane of the auxiliary frame and the plug structure is positioned in its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 5, where it just clears the floor or supporting surface. Reverse operation of the power shaft secures a reverse movement to the position shown in Fig. 4. Throughout the movement of raising and lowering the bed pan structure, the bed pan structure support element is always maintained horizontally.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

rllhe invention claimed is:

l. In an articulated bed structure, the combination with a plurality or sequentially and hingedly connected sections, one end section being tilt-able upwardly and the other end section being tiltable downwardly from horizontally aligned relation, and a frame of materially less length than that ofthe sections when horizontally aligned and of a width substantially that of section width, of elongated angularly offset downwardly directed leg means pivotally supported at each of the frame corners on vertical axes and movable into collapsed relation beneath the frame for bodily movement of the bed structure through a door opening without bed dismantling and into extended relation relative to the frame for large area support of the bed structure outline when in use as a bed, and castor wheel means swivably supported by the lower end of each leg means for movement upon an axis transverse to the wheel axis and offset from but parallel to the leg means pivotal axis.

2. The combination with a frame arrangement, a seat section rigid therewith, a back and head section pivotally mounted at one end of the seat section, a knee section similarly mounted at the opposite end of the seat section, a foot section pivotally connected to the opposite end of the knee section, said sections when horizontally aligned forming a bed arrangement, of a pair of pivotally mounted levers and having their free ends engageable with the side portions of the foot section for support and independent adjustment thereof, lever means having similar engagement with the side portions of the knee section, for support and independent adjustment thereof, movement of the lever means for knee section movement resulting in corresponding movement of the foot section independently of said foot section levers, lever means for tilting the head section, means for tilting said levers, other means for tilting the rst mentioned lever means, still other means for tilting the second mentioned lever means, each of said means being independent of each other and independently adjusting the immediate connected section, and means operatively connecting the head section and the knee section adjusting lever means for predetermined knee and foot section adjustment with and by head section adjustment.

3. In an articulated bed structure, the combination with a plurality of sequentially and hingedly connected mattress supporting spring sections, and an open-work, section supporting frame of lesser length than the sections when extended and of a width substantially that of the sections, of means for individually moving a plurality of said sections, each means including an arm within and at each side of the frame and section connected, a member extending from arm to arm for simultaneous arm movement, said a third arm rigid with the member and adjacent one side of the frame, a plurality of superposed shafts extending through the last mentioned side of the frame, an arm on the frame included end of each shaft and a link for each fourth mentioned arm connecting the last mentioned and third mentioned arms for shaft movement of the section, the frame exposed ends of the shafts being arranged for rotational power application, the link connected arms and the link therebetween constituting a parallel motion.I

arrangement for section associated member connected arms operation.

4. A structure as dened by claim 3, characterized by the addition of a single motor carried by the lower portion of the frame and within the outline of the same and arranged for operation of the frame exposed ends of the shafts, and cover means for the latter and removably secured to the frame.

5. A structure as defined by claim 2, characterized by the axis of the knee section lever means being shiftable automatically with and by the head section initial movement from bed forming position and for corresponding knee section movement and independent of the tilting means for the knee section lever means.

6. The combination with a frame arrangement,

a seat section rigid therewith, a combined back and head section pivotally mounted at one end of the seat section, a knee section similarly mounted at the opposite end of the seat section and capable of movement above the plane of the seat section, a foot section pivotally connected at one end directly to the knee section, the sections being sequentially connected and when horizontally 'aligned forming a bed arrangement, of independent means for each section except the seat section for independently moving the pivoted sections, the foot section independent moving means having slidable bearing connection with the foot section permitting foot Sectio-n movement in accordance with said foot section independent moving means as well as with movement of the knee section, and means operatively connecting the head and knee sections together for simultaneous knee section movement in accordance with initial, elevational movement of the head section and vice versa, and foot section movement in accordance with the last mentioned knee section movement, the knee section and its independent moving means having slidable bearing connection.

7. A structure as defined by claim 6, characterized by the last mentioned knee section slidable connection including an elongated slot substantially parallel to the plane of the knee section, and movable means having a portion in the slot and slidable therein for the purpose described.

8. A structure as defined by claim 6, characterized by the means operatively connecting together the head and knee sections including a member having an elongated slot, and means having a portion slidable therein for the purpose described.

9. A structure as defined by claim 6, characterized by the last mentioned knee section slidable connection including an elongated slot substantially parallel to the plane of the knee section, movable means having a portion in the slot and slidable therein for the purpose described, the means operatively connecting together the head and knee sections including a member having an elongated slot, and means having a portion slidable therein for the purpose described, the aforesaid slotted connections being sequentially arranged.

CHARLES DREXLER. RALPH H. MORGAN. 

